Week of December 16th

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 18

December 16th, 2019

Announcements

Last Blog Post of 2019.  It is hard to believe that another entire year has gone by, but we are at the final blog post of 2019!!  I know this time of year can be hard for both students and staff alike.  We are tired from running at full tilt since September.  Our students have building anxiety as the end of the semester and the holidays approach.  It can be rough - particularly if we only focus on what's hard.       BUT      If we take a minute to look ahead, we make the time to see our horizon.  We are 5 school days away from 12 uninterrupted days of vacation.  These are 12 days in which we can relax, spend time recharging, hang with family and friends, and celebrate the end of the year.  In the midst of this celebration and rest, I know that many of you will also use this time to get a jump on the spring term, which will in turn, become an investment in an easier spring term.

Let's end this last week strong for our students and our school.  Look ahead to next week's rest and dig deep to plan and deliver the last five lessons of 2019!!  I look forward to seeing your best and brightest work as we visit classrooms this week!!

Superintendent's Visit.  I wanted to make a point to reiterate that this latest visit from our Superintendent was one of the best ones we've had to date!  Throughout classrooms and subject areas, she saw students engaging in rigorous tasks, asking questions, forming ideas, and discussing them with their peers to construct new understandings and skills.  She also saw a team of committed professionals who are working tirelessly to bring the best quality learning experiences to our students.  A special shout out goes to Annie & Jen who skillfully told the story of their teams' work around social emotional learning, college planning, student activities, parent engagement, discipline, attendance and instruction to provide Debbie with a complete picture of the work we do as a school community each and every day.  I'll be sharing in more explicit detail at our next full day PD in January, but for now, take a look at the statistics on our school I shared with Debbie.  We have had four years of sustained growth in all major metrics.  We are on track to have a 5th year of the same!  On both qualitative and quantitative metrics, we are well on the path to continuing our growth & achievement.

Staff Holiday Party.  Many thanks for all of you who were able to join in our annual staff winter celebration!  It was yet another fun times had by all!! For those who could not come, you were certainly missed!

Thursday's Craft & Carol-oke.  This Thursday, our Girls Inc and the UAI PTA is hosting their annual craft fair with karaoke caroling.  Please join us in the celebration.  There will be crafts, snacks, singing and fun!  Come close out 2019 with UAI at this wonderful celebration with staff, family, students, and friends!

To-Do This Week

Blog Review.  Congratulations Kelly (since you missed last week's fun)!  You get to review the BLOG today!

Monday Professional Development.  This Monday, we're going to launch the first of a 3-part series aimed at supporting teachers in planning and executing high quality turn and talks in their classes.  For this series, teachers will be working in subject teams (see groups below).  The first of the three parts will use the protocol of teacher consultancies to help the presenting teacher plan for the turn ad talk.  When we return after the break, the subject team will help the teacher rehearse the lesson, paying particular attention to teacher moves and execution.  The final part on January 13th, will be a review and reflection of the lesson.  Teachers will have the opportunity to either visit or watch a video recording of the planned turn and talk before hand.

Teacher Core Subject Teams -Note:  For this round of subject teams, we're going to focus on core subject turn and talks and integrate breadth & elective subjects into the core teams.  This is strictly for planning and preparation logistics in running these consultancies

• (8) MS ELA - Sarah M (Presenting), Marsha (Facilitating), 
• Phillan, Kristina, Christina, Cassandra, Laura, Pauline
• (8) HS ELA - Joey (Presenting) Rebecca C (Facilitating) 
• Tiffany, Rebecca F, Damon, Elana, Jessica, Juelle
• (9) MATH - Jamie (Presenting), Kiri (Facilitating) 
• Alison, Cherry, Matthew, Danielle Ro, Joanna, Nina, Judy
• (9) SCIENCE - Amanda (Presenting), Rachel (Facilitating)  
• Sarah R, Amy, Emma, Nick, Tom, Elena, Jelissa
• (9) SOCIAL STUDIES - Brodie (Presenting); Annie (Facilitating)
• Jake, Natalie, Kelly, Suzannah, Nadine, Giselle, Brenda

Monday Agenda

• 3:00-3:05 - Blog Announcements
• 3:05-3:10 - Setting Out Intention - Why the focus on Turn and Talks?
• 3:10-3:20 - Taking Stock - How and when do you use Turn and Talks in your Class?
• 3:20-4:05 - Teacher Consultancies
• 3:20-3:30 - Presenting Teacher Presents Lesson & Ideas for Turn & Talk
• 3:30-3:40 - Clarifying & Probing Questions
• 3:40-4:00 - Team Discussion & Planning
• 4:00-4:05 - Presenting Teacher Reflection & Commitments to Next Steps
• 4:05-4:10 - Staff Journal & Reflection

Tuesday Family Outreach.  Please share with all families that we are hosting our Annual Parent Craft, Snack, & Karaoke night on Thursday, December 19th.


<<REMINDER>> Gradebook Audits.  Because MP 3 is credit bearing if students pass, we need to make sure all gradebooks follow school grading policy, which is submitted to the NYCDOE and Superintendency each year.  We will be randomly checking grade books throughout this month and January to ensure all gradebooks are in alignment.  As a reminder,

• Grades are cumulative - Grades are a reflection of work students have been doing since September.
• The Lowest grade for anything is a 50.  So, in other words, we do not use zeros or any grade less than 50.
• The Only failing grade on report cards is 55.  If a student's overall average is between 55 and 65, teachers must choose to give the student a 55 OR a 65.  

Social-Emotional Learning Updates

No Updates This Week

Per Session Opportunities

Holiday Craft Party.  If you are interested in working the Annual PTA Craft and Karaoke party on December 19th, please let Jen know ASAP.  We are looking for folks to run craft tables (whatever you'd like!) or any other artistic/holiday related activity.  Please see Jen for details.

 

Week of December 9th

Gradebook Audits

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 17

December 9th, 2019

Announcements

Happy Birthdays! Happy Birthday to Nina, 10th/12th Grade Math  (Wed 11DEC) and Amy 8th Grade Liv Env. & AP Bio (Fri 13DEC).  Have a wonderful week, and congratulations on another trip around the Sun!!

Lesson Observations.  Annie and I are doing classroom walk throughs and Val, Annie and I will be finishing fall observation this month and in January.  As a reminder, ALL classrooms should be structured to have students:

• Successfully Engage with rigorous texts and concepts.  
• What are you putting in front of your students for each lesson?  What literacy and/or reasoning skills does the text require?  Are those skills grade appropriate?  Could you find more complex texts (meaning literature, charts, graphs, images, etc.) that get at the same concepts but also challenge students?  How could you support student access to those 
• Maximize Discourse to deepen understanding and make connections
• How often do students speak in your class?  Who spends more time speaking - adults or students (time yourself to find out - it should be the kids who talk more ALL the time!).  How do students use discourse in the class?  Are they only telling things or are they working to figure things out (or make connections/new understandings)? [Use discourse to help students figure things out -use your lesson look fors to help you do that!]
• Perform DAILY Writing Tasks that prompt students to consolidate learning
• Students need to be writing their ideas down every day. The easiest way to get them to do this is by embedding this expectation in your tasks (or exit tickets).  Higher order questions that demand students explain, justify, predict, etc. are the types of questions you want to pose to students as a summative assessment that allows them to show their thinking and understanding of the lesson.  
• Effectively utilize discipline-and-grade-level specific vocabulary
• All disciplines have course-specific vocabulary.  Make sure you are not only asking students to learn the new words, but more importantly, they need to be using the vocab in their Turn and Talks and writing.
• Finally, Help us ALL make passing periods shorter.  
• End your classes on time (use timers and keep yourself on pace).  Start your classes on time (make Do Nows that allow you to be at the Door to welcome students and start on time).

To-Do This Week

Blog Review.  Congratulations Kelly!  You get to review the BLOG today!

Staff Holiday Party.  This Friday from 4-6PM will be our annual Staff Holiday party at Commonwealth Bar in Park Slope.  We'll be having an open bar AND Tacos!  So that I can get a good head count for food, please RSVP HERE.  You can pay $25 anytime this week!

Monday Professional Development.  We are going to have another round of Grade Team Meetings this Monday to give the PD committee one more week to finalize planning around the next series of PD (Planning Effective Turn and Talks).  Please come prepared with your suggestions for student of the month for January, and with the student work/data you need to write your January PLOPs.  Here's Monday's Agenda

• 3:00-3:10 - Announcements
• 3:10-3:30 - Student of the Month & Rising Eagle Selections (please come prepared with at least 3 suggestions for each category!)
• 3:40-4:10 - PLOP Writing (Please use Tuesday Outreach & Work Time to complete all PLOPs assigned for 02DEC19.) 
• 
  

Tuesday Family Outreach.  Please share with all families that we are hosting our Annual Parent Craft, Snack, & Karaoke night on Thursday, December 19th.

Gradebook Audits.  Because MP 3 is credit bearing if students pass, we need to make sure all gradebooks follow school grading policy, which is submitted to the NYCDOE and Superintendency each year.  We will be randomly checking grade books throughout this month and January to ensure all gradebooks are in alignment.  As a reminder,

• Grades are cumulative - Grades are a reflection of work students have been doing since September.
• The Lowest grade for anything is a 50.  So, in other words, we do not use zeros or any grade less than 50.
• The Only failing grade on report cards is 55.  If a student's overall average is between 55 and 65, teachers must choose to give the student a 55 OR a 65.  

Social-Emotional Learning Updates

Per Session Opportunities

Holiday Craft Party.  If you are interested in working the Annual PTA Craft and Karaoke party on December 19th, please let Jen know ASAP.  We are looking for folks to run craft tables (whatever you'd like!) or any other artistic/holiday related activity.  Please see Jen for details.

 

Week of December 2nd

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 16

December 2nd, 2019

Announcements

Happy Birthdays! No birthdays this week!

It's December!  We are well into the swing of the 3rd marking period.  There are 27 days remaining in this marking period, and they are well organized into two chunks of uninterrupted instruction.  This is the perfect opportunity to get into instructional patterns and flow that optimally support student achievement.  In addition, there are a couple of important reminders about this marking period to keep in mind:

• Students who are passing this marking period are guaranteed their fall credits (even if they fail in the spring).  Looking at your students who failed (or nearly failed) MP2, think about the interventions and supports they need to flourish for MP3.  It is never too late.  Ever!  With two large stretches separated by a sizable winter holiday (12 glorious days), there is plenty of time for students to catch up and make up for past failures.  For this final MP, make sure to attend to the needs of our neediest students, and if you need support, please reach out to Annie or myself for extra help!
• Grades DO matter for this MP.  Students applying to colleges or programs for the summer or spring will be using this report card to demonstrate academic achievement.  For ALL students, think about opportunities in your class to excel.  This does not need to be extra work.  Rather, think about ways to make sure that your students maximize performance on their existing tasks.  Provide:
• Clarity around grading expectations (e.g. rubrics and model responses), 
• Significant instructional supports (e.g. class discourse, multiple opportunities for formative assessment and feedback), and 
• Multiple summative assessment opportunities (and modalities via speaking and/or writing)
  NOTE:  When YOU are crystal clear about what you want students to produce (i.e. your lesson look-fors or the model responses that you created for your various tasks), then you are that much better able to communicate your expectations to students.  When your students understand what you want, they are better equipped to perform at high levels.  

Preparing for A Superintendent's Visit.  While I have not yet heard from Deb or Fred about a visit, I am sure that they are going to make their rounds to UAI soon!  I will share more specific information as I get more details from them, but one of the big foci of this year is how we plan and how those lesson plans lead students to

• Successfully Engage with rigorous texts and concepts.  
• What are you putting in front of your students for each lesson?  What literacy and/or reasoning skills does the text require?  Are those skills grade appropriate?  Could you find more complex texts (meaning literature, charts, graphs, images, etc.) that get at the same concepts but also challenge students?  How could you support student access to those 
• Maximize Discourse to deepen understanding and make connections
• How often do students speak in your class?  Who spends more time speaking - adults or students (time yourself to find out - it should be the kids who talk more ALL the time!).  How do students use discourse in the class?  Are they only telling things or are they working to figure things out (or make connections/new understandings)? [Use discourse to help students figure things out -use your lesson look fors to help you do that!]
• Perform DAILY Writing Tasks that prompt students to consolidate learning
• Students need to be writing their ideas down every day. The easiest way to get them to do this is by embedding this expectation in your tasks (or exit tickets).  Higher order questions that demand students explain, justify, predict, etc. are the types of questions you want to pose to students as a summative assessment that allows them to show their thinking and understanding of the lesson.  
• Effectively utilize discipline-and-grade-level specific vocabulary
• All disciplines have course-specific vocabulary.  Make sure you are not only asking students to learn the new words, but more importantly, they need to be using the vocab in their Turn and Talks and writing.
• Finally, Help us ALL make passing periods shorter.  
• End your classes on time (use timers and keep yourself on pace).  Start your classes on time (make Do Nows that allow you to be at the Door to welcome students and start on time).

To-Do This Week

Blog Review!  For Grade Team PLOP/Attendance Meetings, we'll skip the blog review to maximize work time for teams.


Monday Professional Development.  This Monday is the first Monday of the month!  So, that means grade team PLOP writing, attendance team check in, and selections of student of the month.  Please come prepared with your suggestions for student of the month, and with the student work/data you need to write your PLOPs.  Here's Monday's Agenda

• 3:00-3:10 - Student of the Month & Rising Eagle Selections (please come prepared with at least 3 suggestions for each category!)
• 3:10-3:40 - Attendance Team Check In
• 3:40-4:10 - PLOP Writing (Please use Tuesday Outreach & Work Time to complete all PLOPs assigned for 02DEC19.) 

Tuesday Family Outreach.  Please share with all families that we are hosting our Annual Parent Craft, Snack, & Karaoke night on Thursday, December 19th.

Social-Emotional Learning Updates

No Updates this week.

Remember:  Save the Date for the Staff Party on 13DEC19.  Location still TBD, but for $25, drinks and food from 4-6PM will be available!

Per Session Opportunities

Holiday Craft Party.  If you are interested in working the Annual PTA Craft and Karaoke party on December 19th, please let Jen know ASAP.  We are looking for folks to run craft tables (whatever you'd like!) or any other artistic/holiday related activity.  Please see Jen for details.

 

Week of November 25th

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 15

November 25th, 2019

Announcements

Happy Birthdays! No birthdays this week!

Schedule Student Led Conferences.  SLCs are now complete.  We ended up seeing 59% of our families which is slightly down from last year's overall rate.  To see the full analysis, you can see click on the SLC Analysis tab in the  SLC Appointment Sheet.  If you haven't already done so, sign up for a free account with Remind to help you contact your students' families more efficiently!  All you need is their cell phone or email, and one message can go to all!  Try it out.  We are looking into buying the school version to launch in the spring.  So testing it out now is the perfect low-risk prep for something that is coming soon!

Many, many thank you to all of you who worked hard to get your families in.  It is not easy working around their schedules, and in some cases, working around anxieties parents may feel about coming in to school.  You all did an amazing job making our families feel welcome and partners in their children's learning.  As we work towards uncovering our biases to improve classroom learning and school culture overall, our work with families plays a crucial role in this work.  The more we find ways to reach out and engage with families, the more we do to build strong relationships and erase the potential of negative biases from all sides.  The more we work together, the more we know each other.  The more we know each other, the stronger the UAI community is for our young people!  It is not easy work, but it is necessary.  Don't let the outreach wane.  Keep at it.  Each small piece of outreach matters!!!!

To-Do This Week

Congratulations to Natalie!!!!!  You get to review the blog in PD on Monday!!


Monday Professional Development.  On Monday, we will be having a well-being workshop centered on appreciation and thanksgiving.  As many have heard me say on several occasions, our attention to problems and issues is a natural phenomena, and probably an evolutionary advantage.  As humans, we are particularly astute at problem solving, which involves being pretty good at focusing on problems and issues - always having our gaze focused on what is wrong. 

Psychologically, that can be a heavy burden, and let's face it - it's a total bummer - particularly when you can't find an easy solution.  Teaching and pushing our girls to overcome seemingly endless hurdles is never going to be easy.  That doesn't mean that it doesn't have its rewards.

So, for Monday, we are going to take a beat (while getting some eats), and think about the things we appreciate, feel the appreciation from others, and take the time to appreciate the reasons we are all here at UAI - our students. 

Please bring your journals for reflection and your favorite pen for some writing.  Also, bring your snack of choice (from easy, simple and/or purchased to complex and homemade - bring whatever you can to add to the feast).  Its the UAI Snacktathalon!

Tuesday Family Outreach.  Please use this time to set up a free Remind account and add your families into it.  Play around with it and/or ask your colleagues to show you the ropes (I think Damon & Jamie use it pretty often? ... anyone else??)

Benchmark Grading.  Grading is largely complete.  I'll be tapping some folks to use their professional periods this week to finish it up.  We should have them done by the end of the day, Monday.

Social-Emotional Learning Updates

Per Session Opportunities

Holiday Craft Party.  If you are interested in working the Annual PTA Craft and Karaoke party on December 19th, please let Jen know ASAP.  We are looking for folks to run craft tables (whatever you'd like!) or any other artistic/holiday related activity.  Please see Jen for details.

 

Week of Nov 18th

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 14

November 18th, 2019

Announcements

Happy Birthdays! No birthdays this week!

Schedule Student Led Conferences.  Please update your final SLC appointments in the SLC Appointment Sheet.  Our goal is to schedule 100% of our conferences for Thursday and Friday by the end of Family Outreach on Tuesday, 19NOV19.    If you are having problems with scheduling, please pull the student and make the appointment with her, or ask Annie, Jen, Kiri, or Val for support.

<<REMINDER>> End of the 2nd Marking Period.  Friday was the last day of the 2nd marking period.  Grades are due on Wednesday 20NOV19 at 3PM.   As a reminder, the lowest grade for any grade at UAI (as per the staff handbook) is a 50.  In looking through various teachers gradebooks, I have seen a number of averages that are lower than 50.  That means you are not following the grading system.  Please correct that by changing any zeros to 50s.  If you would like to discuss the policy to better understand it, I am available - just reach out!  You can also start by reading this article.  For marking period grades:

• 55 or F is the ONLY failing grade.  At UAI, the only failing grade is 55.  Please do not use any increment between 55 and 65.  If your course is graded, please use "55" to indicate failure.  As the classroom teacher your job is to make the individual judgment calls on what to do with students who have averages the fall between 55 and 65.  

• MS Electives, Girls Inc Classes, and Enrichment Classes are P/F.  All non-core and non-breadth (e.g. PE, Art, Spanish) courses are Pass/Fail.  Please do not use numeric grades.   If you have a strong desire to use numeric grades, come see me and we can work it out.
• 99 is the highest grade.  Technically, 100 is possible.  If you have a student who has a perfect score (i.e. she didn't get anything wrong on any assignment or anything all year), please come see me to get approval to enter 100 for her.  Otherwise, the highest grade you should be giving to any student is 99.

• Marking Period Grades are Cumulative.  These MP grades are progress reports towards their final, credit bearing grade in June.  As such, they are cumulative (not separate).  They are not distinct grades, but rather, they are progress snapshots as we move through the school year.

To-Do This Week

Congratulations to Tom!!!!!  You get to review the blog in PD on Monday!!


Monday Professional Development.  On Monday, we will have a open Skedula workshop to support teachers in getting their grades to reflect accurately and/or to give teacher extra time to prepare and schedule SLC meetings in for Thursday and Fridays' Student Led Conferences.  The following Monday 25NOV19 will be our monthly Grade Team Meetings/Snack-Tathalon. The PD committee is preparing to launch a series of PDs on planning and executing high quality Turn and Talks for the month of December.

Tuesday Family OutreachMonday 25NOV19.  Next Monday we will have a wellness break.  For this one, we will be celebrating one another.  At this PD, please bring your favorite snack to PD (enough to share with at least 5 people).  In celebration of the Thanksgiving Season, we'll be working together to celebrate our achievements and giving thanks.

Student Led Conferences and Benchmarks.  Joanna will be released the Benchmark Schedule.  As a reminder, SLC and Benchmark days are half days for students (with Girls Inc starting earlier).  All Regents-terminating courses will have a NYS regents benchmark (multiple choice only).  If teachers wish to have the short response, too, you are directed to give that section(s) of the exam in class either preceding or just after benchmarks.  Middle School students will be taking benchmarks in ELA, Math (NYS or Algebra for 8th graders), and this year, Living Environment (for 8th grade only).   All AP classes should test students using the appropriate interim assessment.  Please email questions to Joanna.  SLCs and Benchmark schedule is

• Thursday, 21NOV19
• Benchmark Day One (1st session 8:30-10; 2nd session 10-11:30; 3rd Lunch 11:30-12:10)
• 11:15-12:10 - Lunch Period for Teachers
• 12:10-1:05 - Professional Period for All Staff (Grading)
• 1:05-2:00 - Pedagogical Assignment All Staff (Grading)
• 2:00-2:50 - Prep Period for All Teachers
• 5:00-8:00PM - Student Led Conferences (Individual Teacher Schedules)

• Friday, 22NOV19
• Benchmark Day Two(1st session 8:30-10; 2nd session 10-11:30; 3rd Lunch 11:30-12:10)
• 12:10-2:50 - Student Led Conferences (Individual Teacher Schedules)

Social-Emotional Learning Updates

Per Session Opportunities

AP Boot Camp.  If you are interested in working Saturday and/or Break (e.g. Winter Break or Spring Break) sessions to help students prepare for AP Exams, please reach out to Rebecca C with your availability and area of interest.  Hours and days are flexible.  

 

Week of November 12th

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 13

November 12th, 2019

Announcements

Happy Birthdays! Happy belated birthdays to Mr. Isaiah and Ms. Cherry (last week).  This week, Happy Birthday to Ms. Elena, HS Spanish Teacher (Wednesday), and Ms. Miriam,  Girls Inc. Program Specialist, (Thursday).  We're still ironing out the kinks in the Birthday Calendar, so please double check with Ms. Del (via email) to make sure you're on the list!

Rapid Dismissal the day before Thanksgiving.  We will be doing a rapid dismissal before the Thanksgiving Recess.  All after school activities are cancelled, and all staff must exit the building with the students. 

Lady Eagles Volleyball!  The Lady Eagles brought a fantastic season to a close last week, losing their first playoff game, but ending with a winning record of 6-4.  Freshman coach Ms. Nina led the girls strongly this season.  We congratulate them all for their hard work and well-earned victories.  We also celebrate the lessons learned through their losses.  What doesn't kill us makes us stronger!!  Congrats Lady Eagles Volleyballers!

End of the 2nd Marking Period.  This Friday is the last day of the 2nd marking period.  Grades are due on Wednesday 20NOV19 at 3PM.   There were some mistakes in grading during the 1st marking period.  Because these marking period grades are only progress reports, we don't have to worry about going back to change the mistakes.  However, please take a moment to read through the UAI grading policy so we don't make those mistakes again!

• 55 or F is the ONLY failing grade.  At UAI, the only failing grade is 55.  Please do not use any increment between 55 and 65.  If your course is graded, please use "55" to indicate failure.  As the classroom teacher your job is to make the individual judgment calls on what to do with students who have averages the fall between 55 and 65.  

• MS Electives, Girls Inc Classes, and Enrichment Classes are P/F.  All non-core and non-breadth (e.g. PE, Art, Spanish) courses are Pass/Fail.  Please do not use numeric grades. 
• 99 is the highest grade.  Technically, 100 is possible.  If you have a student who has a perfect score (i.e. she didn't get anything wrong on any assignment or anything all year), please come see me to get approval to enter 100 for her.  Otherwise, the highest grade you should be giving to any student is 99.
• Marking Period Grades are Cumulative.  These MP grades are progress reports towards their final, credit bearing grade in June.  As such, they are cumulative (not separate).  They are not distinct grades, but rather, they are progress snapshots as we move through the school year.

To-Do This Week

Monday Professional Development.  There is no PD on the 11th (because that's today and we're on vacation).  Next Monday, we will have a open Skedula workshop to support teachers in getting their grades to reflect accurately and/or to give teacher extra time to schedule SLC meetings in preparation for next Thursday and Fridays' Student Led Conferences.  The following Monday 25NOV19 will be our monthly Grade Team Meetings/Snack-Tathalon (see next week's blog).  The PD committee is preparing to launch a series of PDs on planning and executing high quality Turn and Talks for the month of December.

Tuesday Family Outreach.  Please schedule your Student Led Conferences.  I need to download the current enrollment listing when I get in tomorrow.  I'll email the document out tomorrow so you can begin to record your appointments.

Student Led Conferences and Benchmarks.  Joanna will be releasing the Benchmark Schedule, shortly.  As in years past, SLC and Benchmark days are half days for students (with Girls Inc starting earlier).  All Regents-terminating courses will have a NYS regents benchmark (multiple choice only).  If teachers wish to have the short response, too, you are directed to give that section(s) of the exam in class either preceding or just after benchmarks.  Middle School students will be taking benchmarks in ELA, Math (NYS or Algebra for 8th graders), and this year, Living Environment (for 8th grade only).   All AP classes should test students using the appropriate interim assessment.  Please email questions to Joanna.  SLCs and Benchmark schedule is

• Thursday, 21NOV19
• Benchmark Day One (1st session 8:30-10; 2nd session 10-11:30; 3rd Lunch 11:30-12:10)
• 11:30-12:20 - Lunch Period for Teachers
• 12:20-1:15 - Professional Period for All Staff (Grading)
• 1:15-2:00 - Pedagogical Assignment All Staff (Grading)
• 2:00-2:50 - Prep Period for All Teachers
• 5:00-8:00PM - Student Led Conferences (Individual Teacher Schedules)

• Friday, 22NOV19
• Benchmark Day Two(1st session 8:30-10; 2nd session 10-11:30; 3rd Lunch 11:30-12:10)
• 12:10-2:50 - Student Led Conferences (Individual Teacher Schedules)

Social-Emotional Learning Updates

Per Session Opportunities

No New Postings This Week 

 

Week of Nov 4th

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 12

November 4th, 2019

Announcements

 

                                         

     

Field Trips, College Trips, and Halloween Fun.  Last week was a busy one.  UAI high school students were out and about on trips to the Rubin, the Met, and Hamilton.  Our seniors visited Cornell University and caught up with Class of 2016 Alumna, Shavonnie Victor.  And the 6th grade team brought it once again as the modern rendition of the all-female Ghost Busters for their themed Halloween.  All in all it was a wonderful week of learning and fun!

Early Voting Last Thing.  While Early Voting is over, we still do not have access to the cafeteria because they are changing over from the Early Voting Equipment to the Regular Election Day Equipment.  Apparently, they're different?  Because yeah - why streamline when you can make things 10 times more difficult in a bureaucracy?  In any event, I am working hard with all of the constituencies (the mayor's office, the Board of Elections, School Facilities, etc) to make sure that our school gets OFF the list of elections sites for future voting.  I'll keep you posted as we learn more.  For Monday, we'll be running the last day of our Early Voting Breakfast/Lunch/After School Snack plan. 

MP2, Student Led Conferences and Benchmarks Round 1.  It's hard to believe that we are already in November.  Before we know it, we'll be at the winter recess and the new year.  Time is flying, so I do hope that means we're having fun.  That said, we have some rapidly approaching deadlines

• Friday, 15NOV19.  Next Friday, Marking Period 2 Ends.  Student Report cards will have grades for both MP1 and MP2.  Please make sure you have made successful contact to any student who failed your course for MP1 (or will fail) for MP2 so families are looped in and can be part of a plan of intervention and support.  Grades for MP2 are due at 3PM on 20NOV19
• Thursday, 21NOV & 22NOV19.  The following week, we will have our first round of benchmarks (see more on this below) and student led conferences (more below, too).  
• 
  

To-Do This Week

Monday Professional Development.  This Monday is next Grade Team Meeting.  To afford more time for Grade Team Plop Writing and Attendance Meeting, we're going to forgo reviewing the blog this week.

• 3:00-3:40 Attendance Team Meeting
• Review of Caseload Progress & Skedula Attendance
• Goal Sharing
• Incentives & Next Steps

• 3:40-4:10 PLOP Writing
• Please CLICK HERE to see which PLOPs are up for review

Tuesday Election Day Professional Development.  This Tuesday we will be continuing our work in uncovering unconscious or implicit bias and working to support one another in developing skills and strategies for recognizing and correcting for unconscious bias in our classrooms.

• 8:00-8:30 - Panera Breakfast
• 8:30-9:00 - Announcements and State of The School Address
• 9:00-11:30 - Understanding Disproportionality at UAI
• 11:30-12:30 - Lunch on your own
• 12:30-1:45 - Teacher Consultancies
• 1:45-2:50 - Independent Work Time

Social-Emotional Learning Updates

Per Session Opportunities

No New Postings This Week 

 

Week of October 28th

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 11

October 28th, 2019

Announcements

Early Voting.  Early voting has started! Voters have already begun voting in our Cafeteria, and we will be hosting Early Voting all this week.  With our cafeteria out of service for the whole time, here's the breakfast, lunch, and after school snack/supper plan.  Please review the plan so that you can help our students understand the changes in breakfast, lunch, and after school snack/supper.  The following teachers who volunteered for lunch coverage (per diem) will be on hand to staff overflow rooms.  Please actively monitor the class during lunch, and once they report with their lunch, allow only one student at a time out of the room with a pass to the bathroom/locker.

• 3rd PD - MS Lunch:  Cherry - Room B57; Emma - Room B43
• Phillan - Basement Hallway Sweeps
• 4th PD - HS Lunch:  Tiffany - Room 403; Nadine - Room 509  
• Suzannah - 4th & 5th Floor Hallway Sweeps

To-Do This Week

Upcoming PD. 

• October 28th:  Understanding SEL & the DESSA
• 3PM - Congratulations Amy!  You're on Blog Review
• 3:15PM - SEL at UAI - An Overview with Marni & JJR
• 3:30PM - Completing the DESSA
• November 4th:  Grade Team Meetings
• November 5th:  Implicit Bias and Instructional Practices
• Teacher Consultancy Round II
• Examining our Biases - Taking at look at our Data
• Effective Student Discourse & Using Writing to Consolidate Learning
• November 18th:  Consultancy Reflection (Nov 11th is a holiday)
• November 25th:  Wellness & Self Care -UAI Teacher Potluck

Student Support Services Update

Per Session Opportunities

Chaperones for Adams Campus Boys Games.  Ms. Elana is working hard to build a larger campus community for all of our teams.  To that end, I am supporting per session for teachers to supervise UAI spectators for the Adams Campus Boys Basketball Games.  I am looking for chaperones for the games 3:30-7:30PM on 

• 20NOV19, Wednesday
• 06DEC19, Friday
• 11DEC19, Wednesday
• 18DEC19, Wednesday

Week of October 21st

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 10

October 21st, 2019

Announcements

Happy Birthday to Nick! Nick Juliusburger, our 9th and 12th grade Physics Teacher will be celebrating his birthday on Wednesday.  Help him celebrate with some hallway high fives and/or notes and emails of well wishes.

A Big Thank You from the Recruitment Team!  Between fairs, school visits, and tours, the past two weeks have been busy for recruitment! We hosted our first two UAI tours last Friday and this Thursday of 8th grade girls who seemed excited and interested in joining us for high school. We visited and scheduled visits to elementary schools who have 5th grade girls that are interested in STEM. We hosted an open house and attended HS borough fairs and MS district fairs where we met with prospective families and students. And last but not least, we co-hosted a "Why UAI" event with Girls Inc for our 8th graders where they were able to visit tables representing different exciting opportunities at UAI HS.

We want to send a big, heartfelt THANK YOU to all the staff who have made this work possible- from actually attending these events themselves, to helping dispatch students to represent their clubs and organizations, to letting us use their classrooms, and especially for sparing their students who are so important to our recruitment work. Your support is so helpful for ensuring we have the right number of students to keep us strong and healthy next year! We have a few more weeks left of this "busy season," but feel free to email Lauren if you have any questions related to recruitment!

Fire Drill on Monday.  We will be testing out a new exit plan on Monday during a Fire Drill at 9:30.  This plan ONLY impacts classrooms that exit out the back stairwell.  That is all classrooms that end in 09/11/15 (so 309, 311, 315; 409/411, 415; 509, 511, 515).  Basement classrooms still exit out the basement doors, up the ramp and down to Jay.  All other classrooms (including gym) should exit down the front stairs and leave out of the front door to walk down Adams to Tillary.

• The 09/11/15 classrooms exit down stairwell A (this is the one that goes straight down).  Take this stairwell all the way to the basement (past the first floor) through the door that will exit into the courtyard.  The alarm will ring.  That is ok - it's a fire drill.

• DO NOT use stairwell E (the stairwell that is on the left when you head down the stairs).  These stairs do not go the exit you need to take. 

• In the courtyard, turn left to walk up the stairs (not the ramp) to exit onto Johnson Street.
  
• Turn right on Johnson Street and walk down the hill to Jay to wait in front of the Family Courthouse.

• This is a new exit pattern.  So if you have prep 2nd period on Tuesday, we need your help to direct folks down stairwell A.  Right after 1st Period, please report to these locations to block entry to stairwell E (the back stairwell on the left) and direct passage down stairwell A (straight down the back stairs). 
• Kelly & Giselle - 5th Floor Stairwell Landing
• Joey & Rebeca C - 4th Floor Stairwell Landing
• Brodie & Matthew - 3rd Floor Stairwell Landing
• Val - 2nd Floor Stairwell Landing - Let AIL exit out of stairwell E, direct UAI down stairwell A
• Kristina C & Sarah R - 1st Floor Stairwell Landing - note please direct them to basement exit (do not exit first floor or out the side exit).  Go down the stairs to the door to the courtyard.
• Doris - Courtyard Exit - direct students up the stairs to Johnson Street (and away from the middle schoolers exiting up the ramp)
• Danielle I - Stand at top of Stairs at Johnson Street and direct exit to Jay
• Floor Sweepers Remain the Same.
• 5th Floor & Gym - Courtney
• 4th Floor - Annie
• 3rd Floor - Jen
• 2nd Floor - AIL
• 1st Floor - Isaiah
• Basement - Jelissa

Kiri is Out Tuesday through Friday This Week.  My mother-in-law passed away last week, and my family needs to fly down for her funeral on Wednesday morning, and burial on Thursday afternoon.  We will be traveling on Tuesday and returning on Friday.  Annie will be in charge with Jen & Val supporting.  I will be available online and via text if you need anything.  Please still continue to call me if you are sick this week.  I will communicate and coordinate with Annie.

To-Do This Week

Upcoming PD.  Tomorrow will be our first in the series.  Here's the calendar for the next few sessions of PD

• October 21st:  Aromatherapy and Stress Management for Teachers
• Agenda:  
• 3PM - Congratulations Ms. Cherry!  You will have the honor of reviewing the blog (and having a few minutes to give the special announcements you requested!)
• 3:15-4:10PM - Aromatherapy  & Self Care with Ms. Vanessa

• October 28th:  Understanding Social Emotional  Learning & the DESSA
• November 4th:  Grade Team Meetings
• November 5th:  Implicit Bias and Instructional Practices
• Teacher Consultancy Round II
• Examining our Biases - Taking at look at our Data
• Effective Student Discourse & Using Writing to Consolidate Learning
• November 18th:  Consultancy Reflection (Nov 11th is a holiday)
• November 25th:  Wellness & Self Care -UAI Teacher Potluck

Class Time Dilemma.  We are still having problems with passing period and releasing students on time.  Please use class timers (or your phone) to keep yourself in lock step with the bell schedule.  When you let a class out (or in) late, you set off a chain reaction that disrupts the bell schedule for everyone.  Effective time management is part of your expected teaching practice.  In addition, being at your doorway to welcome students into your class if part of effective teaching practice and professional responsibility.  This week, we will be taking an audit of hallway practices to gauge teacher practice in these two areas.  Please put forth your best efforts to make sure you start and end classes on time AND that you are at your door welcoming students into your classrooms at the start of each period. 

Student Support Services Update

Per Session Opportunities

Extra Prep?  This is not technically a Per Session Opportunity.  Rather it is a Per Diem opportunity (coverage pay).  We are looking to recruit staff for the following per diem (prep period coverage pay) for these activities:

• Lunch Coverage during Early Voting Week.  Teachers will host up to 34 students for lunch in their classroom each day that the cafe is closed during early voting.
  
• Prep Period Dean Support.  Our discipline support team needs some extra eyes and hands to more effectively manage our support practices.  Teachers will be tasked to duties including (but not limited to) hallway and bathroom monitoring, student removal from classrooms, save room coverage, and other duties.

If you are interested in either of these activities, please email Kiri as soon as possible (if you have not already done so for the lunch coverage)

Week of Oct 15th

UAI Staff News

Volume VII

Issue 9

October 15th, 2019

Announcements

No Birthdays this week

Examining Our Own Biases.  With the Columbus Day Holiday, we will not have PD this week.  In place, please find the time to think and reflect in your journals independently.  Through last year and this, our journey as a staff was to first understand that we all as human beings have some form of implicit bias.  Given that is the case, the question is what are our biases and how do we develop our awareness of them so that they do not unfairly inhibit the opportunities  and achievement of our students.  If you have not already done so, take the time to test yourself for hidden bias. Without explicit PD time this week, this will be an optional, but highly recommended activity.  The goal of our work around bias is not for you to be called out or shamed.  Rather, the goal is to educate, bring awareness, and then provide the tools and support necessary to control those biases from inadvertently acting negatively on our students.  If you decide to take these tests, take them alone, for yourself and honestly.  They are for you to reflect.  Use your journal to log your results and your thoughts & reactions to those results.

November PD.  A number of you have been asking about PD for November's Election Day.  We have been working with the PD committee to refine the goals of that day, so I do apologize for the delay in communications!

During that day, we will be digging deeper into our work around bias.  As a predominantly white and privileged staff working with predominantly brown as lesser privileged youth, there is no PD that is more important on that day than this.  Please plan to be in attendance for that day.  If we are to secure a strong and equitable education for all of our students, then we must ALL be part of the work that crafts the solution.

To-Do This Week

MP1 Grades.  MP1 ended last Tuesday and grades are due Monday at 3PM.  Please make sure all grades are accurate and correct in Skedula.  We will be sending messages home to families via Skedula and School Messenger to check Skedula.  This week during Family Outreach, please check to see if your students' families are registered.  If not, please reach out to help them register.

Observations and Planning Documents.  Our original goal was to make sure that everyone has at least one observation by October 15th, and we are almost there, but will need a few extra days to complete.  All teachers should expect to have an observation (if they haven't already had one) by the end of this week.  As a reminder, please have your lesson plans printed and ready for collection when we arrive, OR have them accessible in your Pacing Guide in this folder HERE.  In addition, in this round, we are looking at unit and syllabi.  Please have your unit plans linked into your pacing guide and upload your syllabi to this folder (as per the start of year checklist).  Alternately, have your current unit and course syllabus printed and ready for collection when we arrive for observation.

Observations and Lesson Look-Fors.  Please refer to these lesson look fors to maximize your performance evaluation.  In particular, student THINKING needs to be central to your lesson, at all points during your lesson.  We are looking to see how well you structure lessons so that students are demanded to think their way through tasks (and not simply identify information or facts).  Writing and Speaking are the two ways that you can use to get students to show their thinking.  Turn and Talks and writing prompts are easy ways to do this.

Upcoming PD.  The PD Committee is currently working with the next round of presenters for our upcoming dilemmas that will focus on looking at implicit bias around race in our instructional and classroom practices.  In addition, we are looking to further our work around implicit bias and instruction during the November Election Day PD.  Finally, as promised, this year we want to make time for self-care and wellness throughout the year.  Next Monday will be our first in the series.  Here's the calendar for the next few sessions of PD

• October 21st:  Aromatherapy and Stress Management for Teachers
• October 28th:  Understanding Social Emotional  Learning & the DESSA
• November 4th:  Grade Team Meetings
• November 5th:  Implicit Bias and Instructional Practices
• Teacher Consultancy Round II
• Examining our Biases - Taking at look at our Data
• Effective Student Discourse & Using Writing to Consolidate Learning
• November 18th:  Consultancy Reflection (Nov 11th is a holiday)
• November 25th:  Wellness & Self CareUAI Teacher Potluck

Student Support Services Update

Per Session Opportunities

No New Postings This Week